Removing the triple lock will end the “morally wrong” situation of Russia being able to veto the deployment of Irish troops abroad, the Tánaiste has said.
Micheál Martin rejected the suggestion the move would undermine Ireland’s military neutrality amid angry clashes with Sinn Féin in the Dáil.
During Leaders’ Questions, Sinn Féin’s Pearse Doherty told Mr Martin such a “fundamental” policy shift should be put to the Irish people in a referendum.
Mr Martin has instructed Department of Defence officials to prepare legislation to remove the UN Security Council’s ability to veto the deployment of Irish troops abroad.
Under the triple lock, a deployment of 12 or more Defence Force members can only happen if the mission is approved by the Government, the Dáil and by way of a UN resolution.
The five permanent members of the UN Security Council – China, France, Russia, the UK and the US – can veto any such resolution.
Mr Doherty insisted the Government did not have a mandate to change the policy.
“You never campaigned for that, the programme for government didn’t say that, and if you’re securing your position put it to the people in a referendum and let them decide whether they want to undermine neutrality or not,” he told Mr Martin.
The Tánaiste said there was “absolutely no policy to undermine” Ireland’s military neutrality.
“Stop creating a false story and deliberately doing so,” he told Mr Doherty.
“And the bottom line is this. You seem to have a view that Russia should dictate our foreign policy. That’s exactly what you were saying.
“I believe there’s something morally wrong with the fact that an authoritarian and aggressive neo-imperialist power has de facto veto on elements of how we, as an independent republic, react to any given situation, that is the fundamental truth of where we are today. They’ve invaded Ukraine. They violated the UN charter and you are saying they should have a veto over how, when and where we deploy our troops.
“That is the essence of the Sinn Féin policy, which I reject and oppose.”
